Vehicle-wheel.



G. vvrflxaoRRIs.v VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907.

E 91 7,884. Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. W. MORRIS. vEEIcLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17,l 1907. ,A 917,884. Patented Apr. 13,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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G. W. MORRIS. VEHICLE WHEEL. v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1907'.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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UNITE STAYFES PATENT OFFQF.

GEORGE W. MORRIS, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

VEHICLE -WHEEIu To all whom "it may concern.'

Be 1t known that l, GEORGE VV. Monnis, a

subject of the King oi Great Britain, residing g at Racine, county ofRacine, State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and use'iulImprovements in Veliicle-ldlheels, o' which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wheels for use in connection with vehicles,and relates particularly to that class oi wheels in which a series ofradially-disposed coiled springs are employed to absorb the shocks towhich the wheels are subjected in use.

The object of the invention is to produce a wheel of this class thatshall be strong and durable and that will permit oi the full amount ofindependent relative movement between the wheel proper and theindependent rim which surrounds the saine without breaking or distortingthe resilient struts or any of the members thereof that act to supportsaid outer riin in proper position with relation to the wheel proper. laccomplish this object by the means shown in the drawings andhereinafter speciiicall y described.

That which l believe to be new will be set toi-th in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings z-Figu rc 1 is a side elevation of a wheelembodying iny improvements, said wheel being ci the type designed Jforuse in connection with traction engines or other similar heavy vehicles.Fig.

2 is a horizontal section through the wheel of Fig. 1, and showing alsoin section a large gear on the hub oi' the wheel, which gear is adaptedto be engaged by a driving gear. Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectionthrough the wheel. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, oione oi the struts employed between the hub oi the wheel and the separateouter rim, two members oi the strut being shown as broken away. Fig. 5is a side view oi a modilied form of wheel, the view being partly insection and partly in elevation, and the wheel shown being one intendedfor a lighter use than the wheel of the preceding figures. Fig. 6 is across-section through the wheel of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view oi" aportion oi the wheel rim employed in the construction shown in Figs. 5and G, and showing also a cross strip through which one of the strutspasses.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, in which correspondingparts are indicated by like reference numerals, and par- Specilcation ofLetters Patent.

Application lef .Tune 17,

Patented April 13, 1909.

1907. Serial No. 379,434.

i ticularly to the construction shown in Figs. l 1 to Ll, inclusive, l0indicates the hub of the wheel, from the central portion of which eX- ltend out radially two flanges 11, spaced a distance apart, said flangesat their outer edges having laterally-extending wings 12 through whichthe inner ends of the wheel spokes 18 pass and are suitably securedeither by nuts screwed upon their ends, as shown, or otherwise. rlheparts 10, 1l and 12, which constitute the hub, are preferably formedintegral as indicated. In the formation of the hub there will be left,as is shown, an annular space 16 between the radial ange 11 which isbridged over at the outer side by a wall through which openings are madeat intervals in which are seated caps for the resilient strutshereinafter described. 14 indicates the rim of the wheel proper formedoi a heavy annular band in which the outer ends of the wheel spokes 13are suitably secured. 15 indicates an axle upon which the wheel ismounted. 17 indicates an outer rim formed of a heavy band, to the outerface of which, when the wheel is to be used for a traction engine or forother exceedingly heavy vehicles, there is suitably attached a series ofdiagonally-extending grouters or cleats 18, as usual. 'ilo the innerface of this outer rim 17 is suitably secured a stud 19 in the wheel rimle so that said outer rim and the wheel will be compelled to traveltogether. As shown, there is riveted across the outer face of the wheelrim 14 at each side oi' the hole through which this stud projects twoshort cross pieces 20 to ailord bearings ior the stud. The outer rim 17is to be held at a suitable distance from the wheel rim 14 and for thispurpose l provide a series of radially-extending struts, each of saidstruts, in the construction shown, comprising three principalinembers,-towit, a tubular section 21, a rod 22 fitting within thetubular member 21, and adjustably held therein, and a coiled springmember 23 mounted on said rod member 22. Each strut projects radiallyfrom the hub, there being provided at the inner end of each strut a cap24. which is seated in a suitable opening in the wall over the annularspace 15, which is adapted at its outer end to properly receive andsupport one end oi the coiled spring member 23. At the outer end of saidcoiled spring member, there is provided another cap 25 suitably engagingthe spring, which cap, in the construction shown, bears against anannular and curved to conform to the curvature of flange 26 formed onthe rod member 22. Each rod member', as stated, at its outer endprojects into the tubular member 21. This outer end of the member 22 isscrew-threaded, as best shown in Fig. 4, and upon it is screwed a nut-27which bears against the inner end of the tubular member 21, or againstan interposed washer, as shown. There may also be used as shown aset-nut 27L against this nut 27 if desired. By screwing the nut 27, thespring may be compressed as desired. 28 indicates a head secured in anysuitable manner in the outer end of the tubular member 21 of each strut,said head being curved to conform to the curvature of the outer rim 17,against the inner surface of which it at all times bears. The wheel rim14, as stated, is provided, at intervals centrally between its sideedges, with openings through which the several tubular members 21 of thestruts broject, said openings being of a size but little larger than thesaid tubular members so as to provide an easy working fit of saidmembers within the openings, whereby, when required, said strut members21 can freely move baci; and forth. 29 indicates two angle ironringsriveted to the inner face of the outer rim 17 and spaced a distanceapart sufficiently to permit the wheel rim 14 to move freely up and downbetween the inturned flanges of said rings. These 'ings will prevent anysidewise movement relatively between the wheel proper and the outer rim,

lll/hen in use, and when traveling upon a fairly level roadway, therewill beA but little relative movement between the wheel and its outerrim, inasmuch as the struts are supposed to have been so adjusted as toproperly compress the springs to compensate for the load to be carriedby the wheel, and there will be, therefore, ust sufficient relativevertical movement of the parts to insure the easy riding of the vehicle.W hen, however, the wheel passes over rough or uneven ground so that thewheel is subjected to jars or shocks, there will necessarily be a muchwider range of movement between the wheel and its outer rim and theremust also be a certain amount of movement in the direction of travel ofthe wheel between such wheel and its outer rim, and if the struts wereconfined at both ends, or if they were allowed but a limited amount ofplay at one end, such struts would be strained or broken, but, byleaving their outer ends wholly unattached and free to slide upon theinner surface of the outer rim, such liability to damage or breaking isentirely done away with. The outer ends of the struts are insuredagainst any lateral strains as the wheel rim through which they pass isprevented from lateral movement by the angle iron rings 29, and, as thefaces of the heads 28 are smooth the outer rim, there will be betweenthem and the outer rim as much relative movement in the direction oftravel of the wheel as will be required under any conditions of use.

rlhe wheel just described is primarily designed for use in connectionwith a tractionengine, and l have therefore shown in Fig. 2 a large gear32a which is adapted to mesh with the driving gear of the engine, suchgear 32a being` rigidly secured to the hub of thc wheel in any suitablemanner.

Turning now to the construction of wheel illustrated in Fig. 5, it willbe seen that in so far as the principle and mode of constructiondescribed for the wheel shown in the preceding figures are concernedthey are practically the same. There are differences, however, indetails of construction which are made mainly for the purpose of makinga lighter wheel the better to adapt it for use on lighter vehicles. Inthis modified form, substantially the same hub as in the Aotherconstruction is shown, there being flanges at the end marked 1()a inwhich the inner ends of the spokes are secured. instead of havingflanges that project laterally from the central radial flanges 11.lnstead of making the rim of the wheel of a single heavy band, as in theformer construction, l construct it of two angle iron rings 14:a spacedsufficiently apart to permit the struts to pass between them. The outerends of the wheel spolres pass through the outwardly projecting flangesof these angle iron rings and into cross bars 3() that extend across andconnect the two angle irons 14 together. Such of these cross bars 3() ascome opposite the struts have a hole formed through them of a size toadmit the passage of the tubular members of the struts and yet permit ofan easy longitudinal movement of such struts. Two of the cross bars arealso placed near together so as to form a proper sized opening throughwhich can project a stud 19a that is secured to the inner face of theouter rim and which corresponds in function to the stud 19 in the otherconstruction. The outer' rim of the wheel in the modified form isindicated by 17a and corresponds to the rim 17 of the otherconstruction, except that instead of being formed of a flat-faced bandit is formed channel-shaped so as to receive on its outer face ayielding tire 31 of any desired construction. In this modified form ofwheel, l have not shown the inner ends of the springs held by caps suchas 24 inserted in openings in the hub, but have shown the face of thehub provided with flat surfaces against which the springs rest, the endsof the rod members of the struts projecting through openings in the hubinto an annular space as in the other construction. The strut membersare in other respects like the Mal strut members already described, andtherefore are indicated by the same reference numerals. In thisconstruction, I do not employ the flanged rings secured to the innerface of the outer rim and projecting down alongside oi the wheel rim forthe purpose of holding the wheel rim and the outer rim toe getheragainst lateral movement, but instead I employ a series of the studs 19awhich project down suiiiciently between the angle iron rings of whichthe wheel rim is composed to insure against sidewise separation of theparts under any conditions. It is only necessary to employ one of theserings, however, in connection with two of the cross strips as a drivingdevice. It will be understood that each one of these studs 19a is ofsuiIicient thickness to substantially till the space between the angleiron rings that compose the wheel rim and yet not lit so tightly as toprevent a relative vertical movement between the parts.

I/Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. In a wheel, the combination with an inner and outer rim, means forconnecting said rims so that they will move together, and a hub, of aseries of resilient struts, each strut comprising a rod-member at theinner end of the strut, a coiled spring surrounding the rod-member, saidspring bearing at its inner end against said hub and bearing at itsother end against a projection on said rodmember, and a tubular memberat the outer end of said strut, said tubular member passing through andbeing radially movable in said inner rim, and said rod-member passinginto and being radially movable in said hub.

2. In a wheel, the combination with a hub provided with two radialflanges spaced a distance apart, an inner and outer rim, and means forconnecting the two rims so that they will move together, of a series ofresilient struts radiating from said wheel hub, such struts passingthrough openings in said inner rim and longitudinally movable in saidopenings, the outer ends of said struts bearing against the innersurface of said outer rim, and each ol the struts coinprising a tubularmember at the outer end, a rod-member at the inner end projecting at oneof its ends into the tubular member and at its other end projectingbetween the said radial flanges on the hub, and a spring-membersurrounding the rod-member and bearing at its inner end against said huband at its outer end against a projection on said rodmember.

3. In a wheel, the combination with a hub provided with two radialflanges spaced a distance apart, lan inner and an outer rim, and meansfor connecting said two rims so that they will move together, of aseries of resilient struts radiating from said hub, said struts passingthrough openings in said inner rim and longitudinally movable in saidopenings, the outer ends of said struts bearing against the innersurface of said outer rim, and each of said struts comprising a tubularmember at the outer end, a rod-member at the inner end projecting at oneof its ends into the tubular member and at its other end projectingbetween said radial lianges on the hub, a coiled Springmembersurrounding the rod-member and bearing at its inner end against thewheel hub and at its outer end against a projection on said rod-member,and a nut on said rod-member against which the inner end of said tubularmember bears.

al. In a wheel, the combination with a hub, an inner' and an outer rim,and means for connecting said two rims so that they will move together,of a series of resilient struts radiating from the said hub, said strutsproj ecting through openings in said inner rim and longitudinallymovable in said openings, and two angular rings secured to the innerface of said outer rim, said rings projecting inward beyond said innerrim to prevent sidewise movement relatively between said inner and outerrims.

GEORGE IV. MORRIS.

llitnesses C. R. CARPENTER, HARVEY FORD.

